2.1. Magnetic Separations in Biological Systems: General Considerations
The use of magnetic separations in biological systems as an alternative to gravitational or centrifugal separations has been reviewed [B. L. Hirschbein et al., Chemtech, March 1982: 172-179 (1982); M. Pourfarzaneh, The Ligand Quarterly 5(1): 41-47 (1982); and P. J. Halling and P. Dunnill, Enzyme Microb. Technol. 2: 2-10 (1980)]. Several advantages of using magnetically separable particles as supports for biological molecules such as enzymes, antibodies and other bioaffinity adsorbents are generally recognized. For instance, when magnetic particles are used as solid phase supports in immobilized enzyme systems [see, e.g., P. J. Robinson et al., Biotech. Bioeng., XV: 603-606 (1973)], the enzyme may be selectively recovered from media, including media containing suspended solids, allowing recycling in enzyme reactors. When used as solid supports in immunoassays or other competitive binding assays, magnetic particles permit homogeneous reaction conditions (which promote optimal binding kinetics and minimally alter analyte-adsorbent equilibrium) and facilitate separation of bound from unbound analyte, compared to centrifugation. Centrifugal separations are time-consuming, require expensive and energy-consuming equipment and pose radiological, biological and physical hazards. Magnetic separations, on the other hand, are relatively rapid and easy, requiring simple equipment. Finally, the use of non-porous adsorbent-coupled magnetic particles in affinity chromatography systems allows better mass transfer and results in less fouling than in conventional affinity chromatography systems.
Although the general concept of magnetizing molecules by coupling them to magnetic particles has been discussed and the potential advantages of using such particles for biological purposes recognized, the practical development of magnetic separations has been hindered by several critical properties of magnetic particles developed thus far.
Large magnetic particles (mean diameter in solution greater than 10 microns(.mu.)) can respond to weak magnetic fields and magnetic field gradients; however, they tend to settle rapidly, limiting their usefulness for reactions requiring homogeneous conditions. Large particles also have a more limited surface area per weight than smaller particles, so that less material can be coupled to them. Examples of large particles are those of Robinson et al. [supra] which are 50-125.mu. in diameter, those of Mosbach and Anderson [Nature, 270: 259-261 (1977)] which are 60-140.mu. in diameter and those of Guesdon et al. [J. Allergy Clin. Immunol. 61(1): 23-27 (1978)] which are 50-160.mu. in diameter. Composite particles made by Hersh and Yaverbaum [U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,997] comprise ferromagnetic iron oxide (Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4) carrier particles. The iron oxide carrier particles were reported to have diameters between 1.5 and 10.mu.. However, based on the reported settling rate of 5 minutes and coupling capacity of only 12 mg of protein per gram of composite particles [L. S. Hersh and S. Yaverbaum, Clin. Chim. Acta, 63: 69-72 (1975)], the actual size of the composite particles in solution is expected to be substantially greater than 10.mu..
The Hersh and Yaverbaum ferromagnetic carrier particles of U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,997 are silanized with silanes capable of reacting with anti-digoxin antibodies to chemically couple the antibodies to the carrier particles. Various silane couplings are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,761, which is hereby incorporated by reference. That the diameters of the composite particles are probably greater than 10.mu. may be explained, at least in part, by the method of silanization employed in the Hersch and Yaverbaum patent. Procedures for silanization known in the art generally differ from each other in the media chosen for the polymerization of silane and its deposition on reactive surfaces. Organic solvents such as toluene [H. W. Weetall, in: Methods in Enzymology, K. Mosbach (ed.), 44: 134-148, 140 (1976)], methanol [U.S. Pat. No. 3,933,997] and chloroform [U.S. Pat. No. 3,652,761] have been used. Silane depositions from aqueous alcohol and aqueous solutions with acid [H. W. Weetall, in: Methods in Enzymology, supra, p. 139 (1976)] have also been used. Each of these silanization procedures employs air and/or even drying in a dehydration step. When applied to silanization of magnetic carrier particles such dehydration methods allow the silanized surfaces of the carrier particles to contact each other, potentially resulting in interparticle bonding, including, e.g., cross-linking between particles by siloxane formation, van der Waals interactions or physical adhesion between adjacent particles. This interparticle bonding yields covalently or physically bonded aggregates of silanized carrier particles of considerably larger diameter than individual carrier particles. Such aggregates have low surface area per unit weight and hence, a low capacity for coupling with molecules such as antibodies, antigens or enzymes. Such aggregates also have gravitational settling times which are too short for many applications.
Small magnetic particles with a mean diameter in solution less than about 0.03.mu. can be kept in solution by thermal agitation and therefore do not spontaneously settle. However, the magnetic field and magnetic field gradient required to remove such particles from solution are so large as to require heavy and bulky magnets for their generation, which are inconvenient to use in benchtop work. Magnets capable of generating magnetic fields in excess of 5000 Oersteds are typically required to separate magnetic particles of less than 0.03.mu. in diameter. An approximate quantitative relationship between the net force (F) acting on a particle and the magnetic field is given by the equation below (Hirschbein et al., supra): EQU F=(X.sub.v -X.sub.v .degree.)VH(dH/dx),
where X.sub.v and X.sub.v .degree. are the volume susceptibilities of the particle and the medium, respectively, V is the volume of the particle, H is the applied magnetic field and dH/dx is the magnetic field gradient. This expression is only an approximation because it ignores particle shape and particle interactions. Nevertheless, it does indicate that the force on a magnetic particle is directly proportional to the volume of the particle.
Magnetic particles of less than 0.03.mu. are used in so-called ferrofluids, which are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,413. Ferrofluids have numerous applications, but are impractical for applications requiring separation of the magnetic particles from surrounding media because of the large magnetic fields and magnetic field gradients required to effect the separations.
Ferromagnetic materials in general become permanently magnetized in response to magnetic fields. Materials termed "superparamagnetic" experience a force in a magnetic field gradient, but do not become permanently magnetized. Crystals of magnetic iron oxides may be either ferromagnetic or superparamagnetic, depending on the size of the crystals. Superparamagnetic oxides of iron generally result when the crystal is less than about 300 .ANG. (0.03.mu.) in diameter; larger crystals generally have a ferromagnetic character. Following initial exposure to a magnetic field, ferromagnetic particles tend to aggregate because of magnetic attraction between the permanently magnetized particles, as has been noted by Robinson et al. [supra] and by Hersh and Yaverbaum [supra].
Dispersible magnetic iron oxide particles reportedly having 300 A diameters and surface amine groups were prepared by base precipitation of ferrous chloride and ferric chloride (Fe.sup.2+ /Fe.sup.3+ =1) in the presence of polyethylene imine, according to Rembaum in U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,234. Reportedly, these particles were exposed to a magnetic field three times during preparation and were described as redispersible. The magnetic particles were mixed with a glutaraldehyde suspension polymerization system to form magnetic polyglutaraldehyde microspheres with reported diameters of 0.1.mu.. Polyglutaraldehyde microspheres have conjugated aldehyde groups on the surface which can form bonds to amino-containing molecules such as proteins. However, in general, only compounds which are capable of reacting with aldehyde groups can be directly linked to the surface of polyglutaraldehyde microspheres. Moreover, magnetic polyglutaraldehyde microspheres are not sufficiently stable for certain applications.